EP1227287A2 - Contacteur de porte pour réfrigérateur - Google Patents

Contacteur de porte pour réfrigérateur Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1227287A2
EP1227287A2 EP01303742A EP01303742A EP1227287A2 EP 1227287 A2 EP1227287 A2 EP 1227287A2 EP 01303742 A EP01303742 A EP 01303742A EP 01303742 A EP01303742 A EP 01303742A EP 1227287 A2 EP1227287 A2 EP 1227287A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
door
push button
refrigerator
switch
reed switch
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP01303742A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1227287A3 (fr
Inventor
Hyung-Chan Kim
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd filed Critical Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Publication of EP1227287A2 publication Critical patent/EP1227287A2/fr
Publication of EP1227287A3 publication Critical patent/EP1227287A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D29/00—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D29/00—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
    • F25D29/005—Mounting of control devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H36/00—Switches actuated by change of magnetic field or of electric field, e.g. by change of relative position of magnet and switch, by shielding
    • H01H36/0006—Permanent magnet actuating reed switches
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D27/00—Lighting arrangements
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2700/00—Means for sensing or measuring; Sensors therefor
    • F25D2700/02—Sensors detecting door opening
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H3/00—Mechanisms for operating contacts
    • H01H3/02—Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch
    • H01H3/16—Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch adapted for actuation at a limit or other predetermined position in the path of a body, the relative movement of switch and body being primarily for a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. for a door switch, a limit switch, a floor-levelling switch of a lift
    • H01H3/161—Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch adapted for actuation at a limit or other predetermined position in the path of a body, the relative movement of switch and body being primarily for a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. for a door switch, a limit switch, a floor-levelling switch of a lift for actuation by moving a closing member, e.g. door, cover or lid

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a refrigerator having a door switch for switching an internal light on and off in response to opening and closing of a door.
  • a known refrigerator uses cool air currents supplied from an evaporator to both a freezing compartment and a chilling compartment.
  • the freezing compartment is used to store food, such as meat and fish, required to be stored at a temperature below freezing
  • the chilling compartment is used to store food, such as vegetables, fruits, and drinking water, required to be stored at a temperature above freezing.
  • a lamp is provided in each of the freezing and chilling compartments, with a door switch installed at the door of each compartment and used for turning on or off an associated lamp in response to an opening action of the respective door. That is, when the door of a compartment is opened, the door switch automatically turns on the lamp provided in the compartment, thus allowing the lamp to illuminate the compartment. The door switch automatically turns off the lamp when the door is closed.
  • a conventional door switch includes a push button, which is installed by a door of the refrigerator and closes the door switch when the door is opened.
  • FIG. 2 shows the conventional door switch when it is turned off
  • Figure 3 shows the door switch when it is turned on. The construction of the conventional door switch will now be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.
  • the conventional door switch 10 has a casing 11, which is set in the refrigerator cabinet 1, with a push button 12 movably set in the casing 11.
  • the door switch 10 also has a fixed switching blade 16 and a movable switching blade 17, which are installed in the casing 11.
  • a guide wall 18 is transversely set in the casing 11 to divide the interior of the casing 11 into first and second chambers, with the push button 12 movably arranged in the first chamber, and the two blades 16, 17 arranged in the second chamber.
  • the guide wall 18 has an opening 19.
  • the push button 12 In the first chamber of the casing 11, the push button 12 is normally biased outward by a spring 13 set at the inner end of the push button 12, and so the button 12 projects slightly from the casing 11 at its outer end due to the force exerted on it by the spring 13 when a door 2 is open. However, when the door 2 is closed, the door 2 presses the outer end of the push button 12, thus depressing the button 12 into the casing 11.
  • the push button 12 is installed in the casing 11 such that it is elastically movable between a projected position and a retracted position by the spring 13 and the door 2.
  • An actuation member 14 is attached to the side of the push button 12 within the casing 11, and so the actuation member 14 moves along with the push button 12 in the same direction.
  • This actuation member 14 is also arranged to always be in movable contact with the guide wall 18 and is inserted into the opening 19 of the guide wall 18 at its outer end.
  • the guide wall 18 thus guides linear reciprocation of the actuation member 14 during an operation of the door switch 10.
  • the fixed blade 16 and the movable blade 17 are arranged within the second chamber of the casing 11 such that the two blades 16, 17 are parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other when in their normal positions.
  • the fixed blade 16 has a fixed contact 16a at its outer end, while the movable blade 17 has a movable contact 17a at a position corresponding to the fixed contact 16a.
  • the movable contact 17a is thus selectively brought into contact with the fixed contact 16a in response to movement of the actuation member 14.
  • the movable blade 17 is normally spaced apart from the fixed blade 16 due to its elasticity, and so the contacts 16a, 17a of the two blades 16, 17 are normally spaced apart from each other when the door 2 is closed.
  • the actuation member 14 In order to move the movable blade 17 relative to the fixed blade 16, the actuation member 14 has an actuating projection 15 at its outer end. This projection 15 passes through the opening 19 of the guide wall 18 and catches the outer end of the movable blade 17.
  • Figure 2 is a sectional view of the door switch 10 when it is open.
  • Figure 4 is a block diagram, showing an operation of the switch 10 for turning on or off a lamp 3.
  • the conventional door switch 10 for refrigerators is mechanically actuated as described above, and fails to tightly seal the casing 11, and so water or wet air may be undesirably introduced into the casing 11. That is, since the door switch 10 is designed such that the push button 12 is movable between a projected position and a retracted position relative to the casing 11, a gap is inevitably formed between the push button 12 and the casing 11 and this undesirably allows the introduction of water or wet air into the casing 11, thereby causing the door switch 10 to fail to operate normally.
  • the conventional door switch 10 does not protect the two contacts 16a, 17a from wet air. Therefore, the two contacts 16a, 17a are undesirably exposed to wet air in the compartment of the refrigerator, and so sparks may be generated at the gap between two contacts 16a, 17a.
  • water may be undesirably introduced into the casing 11 of the door switch 10 when a user washes the cabinet 1 using water. The door switch 10 thus may have a short circuit.
  • refrigerant gas may be undesirably introduced into the casing 11 of the door switch 10 through the gap between the push button 12 and the casing 11.
  • the explosive refrigerant gas may cause an unexpected explosion within the casing 11, in addition to forming sparks at the gap between the contacts 16a, 17b.
  • the conventional door switch 10 is thus reduced in its operational safety.
  • a refrigerator according to the present invention is characterised in that the door switch comprises a sealed reed switch.
  • the switch includes a resiliently mounted push button located so as to be depressed by the door when the door is closed and a magnet moved by the push button for opening and closing the reed switch. More preferably, the magnet is mounted to the push button. Still more preferably, the magnet is arranged such that the reed switch is closed when the door is open.
  • Figure 5 is a sectional view of a door switch 30 of the refrigerator in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention when a door 2 is closed and turns off the door switch 30.
  • the door switch 30 has a casing 31, which is set in the refrigerator cabinet 1, with a push button 32 and a reed switch 40 set within the casing 31.
  • a partition wall 38 is arranged within the casing 31 at a position between the push button 32 and the reed switch 40.
  • an opening 39 may be formed on the partition wall 38 at a central portion corresponding to the reed switch 40.
  • the push button 32 is normally biased outward by a spring 33 set at the inner end of the push button 32, and so the button 32 is slightly projected from the casing 31 at its outer end through a hole 30a of the casing 31 by the restoring force of the spring 33 when the door 2 is opened.
  • the door 2 presses the outer end of the push button 32, thus depressing the button 32 into the casing 31.
  • a magnet 50 is mounted on the side of the push button 32 such that the magnet 50 is movable along with the push button 32 in the same direction, and closes the reed switch 40 when the movable magnet 50 is aligned with the reed switch 40.
  • the reed switch is a magnetically operable switch, which comprises a hermetically sealed glass tube, with two reed blades (referred to as "fixed switching blades" in the description of this invention) made of a magnetic material through a pressing process and set in the glass tube such that the blades are appropriately overlapped with each other, in addition to having a gap between them.
  • the reed switch 40 is installed within a chamber 70, formed by a support wall 51 at a position around the partition wall 38.
  • the reed switch 40 of the present invention comprises two fixed switching blades 42, 43, which extend from the outside of the sealed glass tube 41 into the interior of the tube 41 through the opposite ends of the tube 41.
  • a movable switching blade 44 made of an elastic material, extends from the first fixed blade 42 toward the second fixed blade 43 within the glass tube 41 such that the movable switching blade 44 normally overlaps the second fixed blade 43 at its free end while being spaced apart from said blade 43 by a predetermined gap when the reed switch 40 is open.
  • the second fixed blades 43 and the movable switching blade 44 of the reed switch 40 which form the contacts of the door switch 30 of the present invention, are held by the sealed glass tube 41, and so the reed switch 40 is free from any misalignment of the blades 43, 44 during operation.
  • the reed switch 40 also has a high response speed during an operation, and is protected from the undesired introduction of moisture or gas into its contacts.
  • the glass tube 41 of the reed switch 40 is arranged in a hole 52 formed at the support wall 51. After the glass tube 41 is arranged in the hole 52 of the support wall 51 as described above, the chamber 70 formed by the support wall 51 is sealed by an epoxy resin, thus forming an epoxy-molded layer 60 on the support wall 51 including the hole 52.
  • the reed switch 40 is spaced apart from the magnet 50 attached to the movable push button 32 by a predetermined gap, with the partition wall 38 being arranged between the switch 40 and the magnet 50.
  • the compressing force of the door 2 is removed from the push button 32, thus allowing the push button 32 to be elastically projected from the casing 31 by the restoring force of the spring 33 as shown in Figure 6.
  • the magnet 50 is moved along with the push button 32 in the same direction, thus being positioned close to and aligned with the reed switch 40, with the partition wall 38 having the opening 39 and being positioned between the reed switch 40 and the magnet 50.
  • the reed switch 40 is therefore positioned within the area of influence of the magnetic field of the magnet 50, and so the movable switching blade 44 is magnetically attracted toward the second fixed blade 43, thus being brought into contact with the fixed blade 43.
  • the two fixed blades 42, 43 are thus electrically connected to activate the door switch 30, and turn on the lamp 3.
  • the door switch according to this invention is operated by both a sealed reed switch and a movable magnet. That is, the sealed reed switch is set within the switch casing, while the magnet is arranged to be movable along with the push button, and selectively, magnetically operates the reed switch when the door of the refrigerator is opened to allow the magnet to be positioned close to the reed switch. Since the contacts of the reed switch are completely sealed by a glass tube, the contacts are completely protected from moisture even when water or wet air is introduced into the casing of the door switch. In addition, the casing of the door switch is partially molded with epoxy resin at a position around the reed switch, and so the reed switch is completely protected from water or gas, thus being free from sparks at the gap between the contacts.
  • the door switch of this invention is installed at the same position in the refrigerator cabinet as that of a conventional door switch, and is produced using the same casing and push button as those of the conventional door switch. Therefore, the door switch of this invention is easily and simply installed in the refrigerator, and is produced at a low production cost through a simple production process.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
  • Switches That Are Operated By Magnetic Or Electric Fields (AREA)
EP01303742A 2001-01-26 2001-04-24 Contacteur de porte pour réfrigérateur Withdrawn EP1227287A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
KR1020010003763A KR20020063045A (ko) 2001-01-26 2001-01-26 도어스위치를 구비한 냉장고
KR2001003763 2001-01-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1227287A2 true EP1227287A2 (fr) 2002-07-31
EP1227287A3 EP1227287A3 (fr) 2003-01-22

Family

ID=19705004

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01303742A Withdrawn EP1227287A3 (fr) 2001-01-26 2001-04-24 Contacteur de porte pour réfrigérateur

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1227287A3 (fr)
JP (1) JP2002228354A (fr)
KR (1) KR20020063045A (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1473529A1 (fr) * 2003-04-30 2004-11-03 Liebherr-Hausgeräte Ochsenhausen GmbH Unité de détection et réfrigérateur avec unité de détection
WO2021103030A1 (fr) * 2019-11-21 2021-06-03 惠州冠泰电子有限公司 Interrupteur de porte de réfrigérateur du type étanche

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2905698A1 (de) * 1979-02-15 1980-08-28 Baer Elektrowerke Kg Elektrischer schalter an tueren aufweisenden behaeltnissen, insbesondere kuehlmoebeln
US4456897A (en) * 1981-06-08 1984-06-26 Sentrol, Inc. Plunger-operated switch unit
JPH04161785A (ja) * 1990-10-26 1992-06-05 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd 貯蔵庫
US5155460A (en) * 1991-03-01 1992-10-13 Sentrol, Inc. Switch housing with magnetic roller plunger
JPH05151872A (ja) * 1991-11-29 1993-06-18 Oki Electric Ind Co Ltd 近接スイツチ
DE4212510A1 (de) * 1992-04-14 1993-10-21 Electrolux Siegen Gmbh Schaltungsvorrichtung für die Beleuchtung von Möbeln, insbesondere Kühlmöbeln
US5980058A (en) * 1993-12-30 1999-11-09 Whirlpool Corporation Modular assembly and method for a refrigerator

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2905698A1 (de) * 1979-02-15 1980-08-28 Baer Elektrowerke Kg Elektrischer schalter an tueren aufweisenden behaeltnissen, insbesondere kuehlmoebeln
US4456897A (en) * 1981-06-08 1984-06-26 Sentrol, Inc. Plunger-operated switch unit
JPH04161785A (ja) * 1990-10-26 1992-06-05 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd 貯蔵庫
US5155460A (en) * 1991-03-01 1992-10-13 Sentrol, Inc. Switch housing with magnetic roller plunger
US5155460B1 (en) * 1991-03-01 1995-05-16 Sentrol Inc Switch housing with magnetic roller plunger
JPH05151872A (ja) * 1991-11-29 1993-06-18 Oki Electric Ind Co Ltd 近接スイツチ
DE4212510A1 (de) * 1992-04-14 1993-10-21 Electrolux Siegen Gmbh Schaltungsvorrichtung für die Beleuchtung von Möbeln, insbesondere Kühlmöbeln
US5980058A (en) * 1993-12-30 1999-11-09 Whirlpool Corporation Modular assembly and method for a refrigerator

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 016, no. 456 (M-1314), 22 September 1992 (1992-09-22) -& JP 04 161785 A (SANYO ELECTRIC CO LTD), 5 June 1992 (1992-06-05) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 017, no. 535 (E-1439), 27 September 1993 (1993-09-27) -& JP 05 151872 A (OKI ELECTRIC IND CO LTD), 18 June 1993 (1993-06-18) *

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1473529A1 (fr) * 2003-04-30 2004-11-03 Liebherr-Hausgeräte Ochsenhausen GmbH Unité de détection et réfrigérateur avec unité de détection
WO2021103030A1 (fr) * 2019-11-21 2021-06-03 惠州冠泰电子有限公司 Interrupteur de porte de réfrigérateur du type étanche

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
KR20020063045A (ko) 2002-08-01
EP1227287A3 (fr) 2003-01-22
JP2002228354A (ja) 2002-08-14

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